سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 152
وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥٓ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿152﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And Allâh did indeed fulfil His Promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His Permission; until (the moment) you lost your courage and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you (of the booty) which you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them (your enemy), that He might test you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allâh is Most Gracious to the believers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And certainly
صَدَقَكُمُ
ṣadaqakumu
fulfilled to you
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
وَعْدَهُۥٓ
waʿdahu
His promise
إِذْ
idh
when
تَحُسُّونَهُم
taḥussūnahum
you were killing them
بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ
bi-idh'nihi
by His permission
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
until
إِذَا
idhā
when
فَشِلْتُمْ
fashil'tum
you lost courage
وَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ
watanāzaʿtum
and you fell into dispute
فِى
fī
concerning
ٱلْأَمْرِ
l-amri
the order
وَعَصَيْتُم
waʿaṣaytum
and you disobeyed
مِّنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مَآ
mā
[what]
أَرَىٰكُم
arākum
He (had) shown you
مَّا
mā
what
تُحِبُّونَ ۚ
tuḥibbūna
you love
مِنكُم
minkum
Among you
مَّن
man
(are some) who
يُرِيدُ
yurīdu
desire
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
the world
وَمِنكُم
waminkum
and among you
مَّن
man
(are some) who
يُرِيدُ
yurīdu
desire
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ
l-ākhirata
the Hereafter
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
صَرَفَكُمْ
ṣarafakum
He diverted you
عَنْهُمْ
ʿanhum
from them
لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ
liyabtaliyakum
so that He may test you
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And surely
عَفَا
ʿafā
He forgave
عَنكُمْ ۗ
ʿankum
you
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
ذُو
dhū
(is the) Possessor
فَضْلٍ
faḍlin
(of) Bounty
عَلَى
ʿalā
for
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 152) ➊ {وَ لَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ وَعْدَهٗۤ …:} In the Battle of Uhud, at first Allah’s help was with the Muslims and, by Allah’s command, they were striking down the polytheists forcefully. When the signs of victory began to appear and the polytheists and their women started to flee, the fifty archers whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) had stationed on a hill under the leadership of Abdullah bin Jubair (may Allah be pleased with him), so that the polytheists could not attack from that side, began to argue among themselves upon seeing the spoils of war. Most of the fifty men disobeyed the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) command, left their positions, and rushed towards the spoils of war. Because of this, the polytheists got the opportunity to attack from behind, and the Muslims suffered a great loss. This verse refers to that incident. (Ibn Kathir)
After the battle, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) returned to Madinah, some people began to say, “How did this calamity befall us, even though Allah had promised victory?” Upon this, this verse was revealed, stating that Allah had indeed fulfilled His promise, and what happened afterward was the result of your losing heart, arguing among yourselves, and your disobedience. (Qurtubi)
➋ {ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ …:} That is, after victory, He made you retreat before them, so that you may be tested as to who is a true Muslim and who is weak in faith and false. (Qurtubi)
➌ {وَ لَقَدْ عَفَا عَنْكُمْ:} That is, although you committed a very grave offense by disobeying the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and fleeing from battle, for which you could have been severely punished, Allah forgave all your faults. This expresses the honor Allah bestowed upon the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) despite their shortcomings, by clarifying their mistakes so that they would not repeat them in the future. When Allah has made a general declaration of forgiveness for them, what room remains for anyone to criticize or reproach them? It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari that a man raised some objections about Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) before Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), one of which was that he fled on the day of Uhud. Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) replied: “I bear witness that Allah has forgiven him.” [ بخاری، المغازی، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «إن الذین تولوا منکم…» : ۴۰۶۶ ]
After the battle, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) returned to Madinah, some people began to say, “How did this calamity befall us, even though Allah had promised victory?” Upon this, this verse was revealed, stating that Allah had indeed fulfilled His promise, and what happened afterward was the result of your losing heart, arguing among yourselves, and your disobedience. (Qurtubi)
➋ {ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ …:} That is, after victory, He made you retreat before them, so that you may be tested as to who is a true Muslim and who is weak in faith and false. (Qurtubi)
➌ {وَ لَقَدْ عَفَا عَنْكُمْ:} That is, although you committed a very grave offense by disobeying the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and fleeing from battle, for which you could have been severely punished, Allah forgave all your faults. This expresses the honor Allah bestowed upon the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) despite their shortcomings, by clarifying their mistakes so that they would not repeat them in the future. When Allah has made a general declaration of forgiveness for them, what room remains for anyone to criticize or reproach them? It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari that a man raised some objections about Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) before Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), one of which was that he fled on the day of Uhud. Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) replied: “I bear witness that Allah has forgiven him.” [ بخاری، المغازی، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «إن الذین تولوا منکم…» : ۴۰۶۶ ]
